Ira Gostin launched his storytelling career as a photojournalist for the Associated Press, honing his newsroom intuition to eventually and effectively brand a company’s external communications. After having his photos featured in the world’s top publications and later for many Fortune 500 companies, Ira retired from photography, earned his MBA and began career number two where he oversaw investor relations and corporate communications for a multi-national, publicly traded company. He coordinated shareholder engagement for over $1 billion in financing through an IPO, equity raises, and acquisitions while leading the team. In 2016 he started 120 West Strategic Communications, combining his entrepreneurial spirit and passion with corporate storytelling and strategy. Ira is a true entrepreneur with several successful start-ups under his belt and in addition to 120 West, he and his wife Erin also operate a property business. Ira and his family live in Reno, Nevada, at the base of the Sierra Nevada mountains and can be found regularly at Lake Tahoe when he is not traveling the world for clients.
Entrepreneurial Role Models:
When business started difficulties overcame:
“I didn’t really know how to be an entrepreneur; I didn’t understand how to balance risk, I didn’t understand how to balance cash flow, I didn’t understand the business aspects but I have the drive and the passion and the idea to move forward with something that was mine”…[Listen for More]
Favourite Books:
- The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life Book by Benjamin Zander and Rosamund Stone Zander
- The E-myth, why most businesses don’t work and what to do about it Book by Michael E. Gerber
- The Art Of Innovation: Lessons in Creativity from IDEO, America’s Leading Design Firm: Success Through Innovation the IDEO Way book by Tom Kelley
Favourite Quote:
- “Hope is not a business strategy”
- “The entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it and exploits it as opportunity”
Recommended Online Resources:
None specific
Best Advice to Other Entrepreneurs:
“Effective communications is the voice of success. Tell your story, be accurate, be brief, be clear but tell the story of your business and push that forward, use the tools that we have these days to tell your story”…[Listen for More]
More About Ira Gostin:
120 West Strategic Communications LLC
Neil’s Quote at the Beginning:
“What we do as a society is seek simple answers.” Dean Koontz
Other Quotes From the Chat with Ira Gostin:
- “So many people hope that they can come up with an idea so that they can quit their job or they already quit their job and they hope that they can grow this new business. How do you mean to make that happen?”
- “I try not to hope so much and make it happen”
- “Just keep sharpening the saw, just keep learning and growing and believing in yourself. Those are just huge steps”
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